'Engineering issue': British High Commission issues statement on F-35 fighter jet stuck in Kerala

The British High Commission on Friday (June 27) issued a statement regarding the UK F35-B aircraft that was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in India on June 14.

The spokesperson said, “A UK F-35B aircraft is awaiting repairs at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after developing an engineering issue. The UK has accepted an offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility at the airport. The aircraft will be moved to the hangar once UK engineering teams arrive with specialist equipment, thereby ensuring there is minimal disruption to scheduled maintenance of other aircraft."

“The aircraft will return to active service once repairs and safety checks have been completed. Ground teams continue to work closely with Indian authorities to ensure safety and security precautions are observed. We thank the Indian authorities and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for their continued support.”

Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will now calculate a parking fee for the British Royal Navy F-35 fighter jet as it continues to be grounded in Kerala. As per a report by the Indian Defence Research wing, for 12 days of parking, the total fee would be 3,685.22 USD (INR 26,261 × 12 = INR 315,132). The F-35B's prolonged stay at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is highly unusual, as it marks the first time this advanced fighter jet has been stranded abroad. Usually, the airport operator charges a parking fee based on the aircraft's weight. But the fighter jet is lightweight and it is not a scheduled flight. So the same yardstick may not be applicable in this case. There is no official confirmation on how the parking fee would be charged and who would pay the bill. Notably, in March, US President Donald Trump pitched the sale of F-35 jets to India.

Meanwhile, a team of engineers from the UK and the US will arrive soon to rectify the snag. If it is not successful, arrangements may have to be made to move the jet out using a freighter plane. A British High Commission spokesperson said: “We are working to repair the UK F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as quickly as possible. We thank the Indian authorities for their continued support.” "Diversion of F-35 is normal. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is fully aware of and facilitated the aircraft for flight safety reasons. All assistance is given, and IAF is in coordination with all agencies," an IAF spokesperson said last week.

The jet, believed to have taken off from a British aircraft carrier stationed approximately 100 nautical miles off Kerala's coast, landed in Thiruvananthapuram after reporting low fuel levels, reported news agency PTI. The British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II fighter jet, which was part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, landed in Thiruvananthapuram on June 14. The British jet, parked at Bay 4 of Thiruvananthapuram's airport, is guarded by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.